The present invention relates to digital networks, and in particular, to the problem of captive portals on networks.
Internet access, wired and particularly wireless, is becoming ubiquitous and expected. People have come to expect Internet access wherever they go. Many businesses have realized that providing Internet access to customers may be monetized, either indirectly in bringing in or retaining customers, or directly by providing Internet access for a fee.
A Captive Portal (CP) provides a mechanism to control Internet access. When a new user attempts to connect to the Internet such as through a wireless connection, that connection attempt is sent to a Captive Portal, which typically presents information and an agreement for the user to accept, possibly facilitating payment for the service. When authentication through the Captive Portal is complete, the user is allowed access to the Internet.
An example of a captive portal is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,894 to Short, et al.
What is needed is a way to way of operating a captive portal.